Mistletoe
by Theater Of The Mind
Summary: Christmas AU. Jet visits Katara's village to celebrate the Winter Solstice with her and her tribe. It's just fluff for fluff's sake. Why not? One-shot.


AN:

I guess this is an AU?

Basically, Jet and Katara have dated for some time now and he's going over to her tribe.

This was a Christmas gift to one of my friends and hmmp... I drew a picture to go along with it; which is the cover photo...

And yeah.

I shall keep Jetara afloat. If any of you ship it then you should write something. That is my challenge to you.

Write some Jetara because well... this ship need to sail more...

...

... and I'd love to read it :)

* * *

Throughout the years there was always one holiday that Jet had never thought to celebrate; the Winter Solstice there wasn't any direct reason as to why he didn't. Perhaps his parents's relatively poor stature in their small town prevented him from being able to celebrate with them- or maybe it was the fact that the Earth Kingdom never celebrated it (he wasn't sure, having never seen anyone in town rejoicing the holiday), but despite that, his lack of detailed memory from his childhood and his quest to rid the Fire Nation from the Earth Kingdom had stopped any and all possibilities. Although, now that the war had ended, his perspective on life had restored and his anger settled, he found himself wanting different things out of life- his first and most important goal was to give the young Freedom Fighters not only a family or a place to stay but the childhood they lost back. To do so, he wanted to give them those holidays and celebrations that they hadn't celebrated before while occasionally throwing feasts and parties with music and games for the children. His whole goal to have them be raised correctly and not the harmful misguiding way he had originally. His main focus was to give those children that childhood back, but in doing so, he neglected his own.

When it came time for the Winter Solstice, he found himself at a loss, not knowing where to start- his friends talked about the holiday, but never elaborated enough for him to be able to pick up on the quirks of the holiday and Jet being the overzealous prideful man that he is, refused to ask for help. Only listening in on small conversations learning of the giants feasts, the gifts and of course; the mistletoe but never enough to celebrate is properly. He wanted to experience the holiday but he hadn't a clue how to, so when Katara asked him to accompany her to the Southern Water Tribe- he agreed. Leaving behind Smellerbee to watch over the Freedom Fighters, forgetting them for one holiday, wanting to find time for himself- to properly experience one holiday on his own.

Katara on the other hand had celebrated the holiday every year with her tribe. When she was younger, they would all fish for days, cook for hours on end- attempt to make their small tribe more lavish. It was a celebration that took days to complete and it would lighten everyone's mood up just a bit. Now that the war was over, a few tribe members from the Northern tribe settled in the south to help rebuild their sister tribe to it's previous allure making the holidays much more festive than Katara had remembered them being. Celebrating the Winter Solstice had always been her favorite holiday and now with the new decorations and the much more vast amount of foods and vegetation, things were much more grand and over the top. It was a nice change from the humble beginning she had experienced and an occasion she desperately wished the share with Jet.

And so four days into the festivities, it seemed as if Jet was picking up on it, helping set up and cook, willing to do whatever was needed of him so that he would be able to fully enjoy his time celebrating. For the first time in his life, he felt like he had a real family, not just a rag-tag group of friends but a family, a dad, a grandma, a town to call his own. He felt welcomed and he liked it, but all the work was put on the back burner as Katara's pulled his glove covered hand, forcing him away from his decorating, the mistletoe he was meaning to hang on the wall still in his hand.

His brow arched as he eyed her carefully, wondering what could be important to drag him away from his work, his opposite hand fiddling with the small mistletoe before pocketing it, taking a note to hang it up somewhere when the two got back. Jet kept quiet not talking in the slightest as Katara dragged him along where ever she had in mind, the only inclination of his curiosity was the brow begging her to explain but other than that; he conformed, letting the nature of her surprise guide him.

Just a few paces away from where she pried him from his work, Katara slowed down her steps so that instead of leading him she was even with him, the two taking a casual stroll in the white plush of the south. Her blue eyes looked up at him, waiting for response, but instead he kept forward, his brow still arched and his smirk pulled across his lips, acting unfazed by her action and ignoring her attempts to catch his attention. The tug on his hand only seemed to spread his grin further, until Katara's voice breathed out, the white smoke emanating from her lips as she spoke, "are you having a good time?"

The arched brow raised as he slowly turned down at her, his lips pulling up to flash her some teeth in his smile before sighing out, "of course I am, I'm with you ain't I?" Her eyes rolled her smile still prominent, her free hand lifting to hit him softly in the stomach, teasing him, "whatever you say, Jet."

His smile spread, letting out a small huff of air in laughter, the warm air turning to vapor as it touched the cool air. Urging on, "I am, really am, it's great." That much was true, he was enjoying his time, it was, to him, like a vacation, away from his responsibilities, away from his past, away from everything he was so adjusted to and it was amazing and relaxing, and he was enjoying himself.

The couple continued their walk, making their way to the edge of the snow covered ground, their glove-covered hands still intertwined, the iced air hitting them both as they walked, the core of their bodies kept warm with heavy Water Tribe parkas. The breeze bothered neither in the slightest, it was just a small price Jet had to pay being together in the south with her and Katara had adjusted to the temperatures, winds, and snows long ago, having lived there her whole life. This, unlike the Earth Kingdom, was her territory, it was unusual to Jet, in the Earth Kingdom, regardless of where he was at, he could find his way, but here he was lost without someone guiding him. The village was small, just homes, one or two shops or markets, but overall, just a village nothing like the larger Earth Kingdom villages, houses on one side, shops and markets lining the main street, the fish monger always on the side closest to the sea, and the bar always in the darkest corner.

Jet's gaze shifted down, qustioning her, his curiosity getting the better of him, "where you takin' me?"

Gently, Katara shook her head, "can't I be alone with with you? I haven't had the chance since you got here. You're always off doing something."

"That a bad thing?" He shrugged.

"No," she quipped, her lips pursing in annoyance then immediately softening before it was detected, it was a good thing. He wanted to help, he wanted to be as much of her family as she wanted him to be. "It's a good thing," she whispered out, smiling fainting, "a really good thing. Just miss you is all."

The two stopped in their tracks during the short conversation, the village within sight, the small igloos peeping over the snow. Jet look a step back, breaking his hand apart from hers as he gestured to himself, "well, I'm all yours, don't pass up your opportunity."

Katara couldn't help but let out a small laugh, her arms crossing at his words, "sure," she replied sarcastically, "I'll be sure to do so." Jet… now, Jet was something else, cocky that's for sure, but it all made her smile, it was a welcomed smug tone about everything he did that no one else, but him, was able to pull off and it made her happy.

He waited for her; half expecting her to run into her arms, but only sighing dejectedly when she didn't, shoving his hands in the pockets of Sokka's parka in attempt to look as dismissively upset as he could, false concern lining his visage as he huffed, "well I gue-" his voice cut off as his hand prodded at a random object, had Sokka forgot to take something out? His brows furrowed, gripping the object tightly and pulling it out. The moment his eyes laid on it, he knew what it was, it was the mistletoe he had stored in his pocket. The futile attempts to appear distressed vanished, as he lifted the green leaves that were speckled with small red berries, teasing her, "why don't cha give me a kiss then?"

Her eyes shifted over, eyeing his hand and watching him with caution, equally teasing back, the same tone in her voice, "I'm not kissing you. Especially, not now."

"Why not?" he questioned, his voice hitting a new high as he spoke, raising the plant between them both in an attempt to persuade her, "I got the mistletoe, don't that mean ya gotta kiss me or somethin'?"

Katara would have been lying if she said his attempts weren't working in the slightest, but something caught her eye and she knew that she couldn't let it go. Casually, her arms tightened and her grin grew, correcting him, "that's not mistletoe, Jet."

At her words, his face fell, smirk dripping down in a thin line, eyes opening in the slightest as he whimpered out, "… it's not?"

She kept steady at his plea, raising a brow, finally getting the upper hand over him, "that's holly, they aren't the same thing."

A small pout began to form on his lips, "I thought-" he paused, taking a small glare at the plant as if it betrayed him in his time of need, his brows flustered together, as he shoved it back in his pocket, this time if upset façade, wasn't much of a façade. He wanted a kiss, and he wanted to spend time with her, but he decided to cut his losses, change the subject, continue on with their walk and the festivities, and perhaps later (when no one was around; not her Gran Gran, her father, or the other villagers,) he's steal a kiss and without the help from a mistletoe.

But his scheming proved to be useless as Katara lifted to her toes to press a small kiss on the tip of his nose. His eyes opened in confusion, then settled into a content smile, it _technically_ was a kiss, not one he'd expected but a kiss nonetheless. Her arms wound around his waist, pulling him close in a hug, the first real sign of affection either of the two showed since they had arrived together. He sighed, taking in the warmth she provided, missing the feel of the sun beating down on him as it had before, his own arms wrapping around her shoulders pulling her. The side of his cheek warming as he pressed against her hair, the innocent hug meaning more to him than any kiss she could ever give. It was times like this that he enjoyed with her, the calm aspect of their hugs- neither arguing, or yelling, just happy, content with life at the single touch- though, he'd never admit that out loud, keeping this feeling within him an unspoken gesture between the two.

They stayed like that for a while, just embracing, both parties missing the other, missing their company, their scent, their hold, their everything. Quietly, they parted, smiling at each other. "I missed you too," Jet mumbled, answering her back, admitting it out loud instead of keeping his confession deep within him. Despite the two being in the same small village, they were never together, always off setting up for the festivities, or putting together the meals. Jet had even accompanied Hakoda more than he had Katara, going with a few others on a hunting trip. But the couple was never together, only at night right before bed, only getting a chance to whisper a good night before splitting off to fall into a dreamless slumber.

Taking her hand in his again, the two began to walk aimlessly in the snow.

"Soooo," Jet drawled out, his eyes pressing into the far corners to get a glimpse of her, waiting to see a reaction from her, but before given a chance, he continued, that familiar smug grin shining through into his voice, "how 'bout that kiss?"


End file.
